Monday, March 17, 2014

Last year, 1.1
million people who flocked to America’s national parks witnessed 9,145 programs
involving historic weapons. Venues that fire reproduction 18th and
19th century small arms and artillery must have an employee
certified in their use and safety. Of course, actual rounds are not fired. The
National Park Service recently concluded a 10-day black-powder course at Fort
McClellan Army National Guard Training Center near Anniston, Ala. Course
coordinator George Elmore, chief ranger at Fort Larned National Historic Site
in Kansas, talked with the Picket about the course, which featured 11
instructors, and the value of living history programs that use such weapons. Here
is an edited version of our conversation:

Q. Why are these weapons programs put on at park?

Elmore: What makes a powerful demonstration is when
you have successfully created the illusion you could be a soldier from the Civil
War or Revolutionary War, and you draw persons so much into the talk and program,
that you created a picture in their mind of what an individual soldier went
through.

Training participants (NPS)

Q. Why is the course
held?

A. The purpose of the
course is to keep the use of firearms safe. You can lose a hand. You will see
that occasionally in (non-park) re-enactments. We have never had a major
accident in the park service. We are very concerned about safety.Each park is required to have its own
magazine, meet the ATF (Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) requirements and to have a loading area.

Q. You had about 80 participants
this year. Where are they from?

A. We had a couple from
San Juan National Historic Site (Puerto Rico), those using early Spanish iron-type
cannons at Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Fla., Civil War parks,
Revolutionary War Parks, War of 1812, cannon and flintlocks. It is just a broad
spectrum. We also have people from state sites. We had 11 from those and two
U.S. Forest Service employees.

Q. Participants bring
their weapons. How much experience do they have?

A. We do have safety
inspections (of weapons brought to course). We found a couple problems -- gun locks
that did not work correctly, weapons not properly cleaned or malfunctioning in
strikes. About half are novices. We have people who never handled a weapon.
You have some experienced people, perhaps some who have re-enacted. You have to
start with the lowest level and bring everybody up to speed.

(NPS photo)

Q. Can you tell us a
little more about the curriculum of the course?

A. This is a
supervisory course that involves black powder, drill manuals and how to manage
those weapons. It is a combination of teaching accurate interpretation and
safety. We actually use the original manuals. The people have to study the
manuals, learn how it was done then and proficiently drill using that manual. It
is kind of like training the trainer. There is a lot of repetition and hands-on
drill until they get the muzzle safety down. We have to teach ATF regulations,
how to move black powder from point A to point B without blowing yourself up
and how to store black powder safely. Those who are certified supervise the program
at their park, and they train (those who fire weapons). We try to impress upon
them the importance of what they are doing. To be sure, no matter what, to be
safe.

Q. Anything else
about the course?

A. We make sure when
they leave they have passed required written exams and tests. They must look
professional (and wear period clothing). None failed this year, but we have had
that happen. We have sent people home halfway through.

Q. What is the role
of the historic weapons supervisor at his or her park? I understand they work
with staff members and, occasionally, re-enactors.

(NPS photo)

A. Each person cannot
personally supervise more than 40 people firing those weapons. For
demonstrations, they have to inspect each weapon, and go through the loading
procedure. He or she has to get to know their leaders and have knowledge of these
people. Sometimes before an event, you may have to pull someone from the line
(if they don’t meet specifications). There are a lot of cheap replicas that
were never intended to be fired that someone has adapted to fire a blank round.
We require hearing protection. A lot of re-enactors don’t use it elsewhere.

Q. The National Park
Service doesn’t use original weapons. Why?

A. We cannot use period
weapons. No more is being made. If someone drops it and cracks a stock, it is
gone. You have destroyed an original item from the 1860s or whatever era you
are using.

Q. So you use exact replicas.
What does that mean?

A. The replicas are
never as good as the originals. We train them what to watch and look for (in
quality and components). Some replicas have a two-piece stock. They have to
know how to totally disassemble the weapon. The biggest safety problem is the
quality of the (commercially produced) equipment being used today. Almost
nothing today would pass the original ordnance specifications of the time.

Graduating class of 2014 - click to enlarge (NPS)

Q. What kind of
weapons are fired at national parks?

A.
The most common are 6 pounders and 12 pounders, howitzers and Napoleons. Some
parks have 3-inch ordnance. With side arms, Colt and Remington, Army and Navy, .44-caliber
and .36-caliber. Civil War can include Springfield musket models 1861 and 1863,
Spencer carbines and Henrys.

Q. How much does
black powder cost?

A. We buy it
commercially at about $15 a pound. Cannons will use a half pound per round. Some
of the larger ordnance requires more. With the (cost) and time of staff to
perform it … it gets to be an expensive program. (But) it is one of most
popular interpretive programs we do.

Safety first for Civil War re-enactors (NPS)

Q. What are some of the more scenic places at which these
weapons are fired?

A. Fort Pulaski in Georgia, Fort McHenry in Baltimore, San
Juan, Castillo de San Marcos. These fortresses make for great views. You can
walk through the portal and you can take yourself back. It sometimes can be
eerie.

The Picket also spoke with Willie Johnson, historian at
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Georgia. Johnson is certified as
a historic weapons supervisor. In June, for the 150th anniversary of
the Atlanta Campaign battle, re-enactors will be at encampments and will
perform weapons demonstrations. Black-powder supervisors from other parks will
assist Johnson.

Q. What is your role when it comes to re-enactors?

Johnson: To ensure that their
drill is correct and they are safe. You basically make sure that the lock
functions properly, the weapon is clean and it is not loaded.

Q. What if, say, a
musket doesn’t pass muster?

A. Sometimes we turn
someone down. We have some weapons used by staff. If there were to be a weapon
not pass inspection, I might check him one out temporarily.”